Ancestor
by HistoryintheMaking
Summary: Sam takes Jake out into the middle of the Quileute lands to remind him of who he really is.


A/N: I do not own Twilight. The characters here are property of Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight Saga. Most importantly, this is a work of pure fiction. None of these rituals, to my knowledge, exist.

Setting: New Moon, during the time that Jacob is not paying her any attention.

* * *

Colorful figures enchanting the moonlight with their warm bodies, they danced naked. The cracks in the floor from the stomping of their feet, the gravel between their toes, and the sensational feeling of earth on their skin made their hearts race. Sam chanted something ancient and spiritual that Jacob could only understand in fragments. Nothing but the crickets. Nothing but the tides of the cliffs from two miles away. Nothing but the shine of the moon and the seduction of the night sky. Dancing naked around the dim glow of a small fire, they let themselves sink into their hunter-gatherer states, feeling the riveting electric current of coexistence with the earth.

When all was said and done they collapsed, shoulder to shoulder, and laughed. 'I feel on top of the world' their eyes said. 'You are home,' replied their hearts. It felt like home too, as it seemed like the moon was smiling down at them like they had done it proud. Their breaths in tune with the ocean and the crickets, they breathed out every toxicity from their bodies and gorged themselves on the energy of right now. Rebirth, right? This must be what it felt like.

"Tradition, Jacob, is a wonderful thing." Sam said to Jacob as they looked up at the sky. "This is who you are. Just as your ancestors found themselves through this ritual and on this ground, so have you."

It made sense. Lately Jacob had been going through a whirlwind of emotions, his developing human body and his wolf body tearing at each other inside. His father had pushed Jacob into Sam's company for quite sometime, and for a while it confused him. Until now, of course. Until he learned the secret.

"I feel like I don't even know them, my ancestors." he said finally. "Everyone else has this connection, and Sam you talk about 'em like you shook hands with 'em once before."

"I have."

"You're crazy."

"Your ancestors, your wolf-self, have never left you. They are still connected. They are the energy you feel pulsing through your veins. They are in the build of your body and in the paws you will soon have."

"Soon?"

"Very soon. Closer than you think," said Sam with a smirk.

"Fuck."

He chuckled, the first time Jacob had made Sam laugh. "It may sound a little out there, but it is true. When the world wraps us around in its bearish claws, we tend to forget who we really are. When that happens, we must shed our layers to find our heart; remove the worldly possessions and be as you were born and meant to be; be as your ancestors were."

"Is that why you brought me here?"

"Yes."

They stayed quiet and took in the scenery for a little while longer. The fire crackled quietly to itself. Sam had put sage in it, as was tradition during these cleansing rituals, and the smell enchanted their senses. Jacob could feel the energy in his body turn warm, and smiled at the thought that these were his ancestors holding on to him, supporting to him. In this world where he felt alone and rejected, it made him feel worthy for the first time.

"I think I'm ready to join the wolf pack," said Jacob. "I think I'm ready to be what I feel is right."

Sam did not smile but Jacob could feel the pride radiating from Sam's body. Both stood up to blow out the crackling fire. Sam held out his hand to Jacob, which Jacob shook, and finally let a smile spread across his lips. It was if he had been waiting for this moment for the longest time.

"Tell me when you feel like your body is on fire. You'll probably be transitioning soon, and maybe you'll be able to keep up with us when we run."

Off into the distance a series of howls exploded over the night-covered trees, followed by the gentle crunching of leaves beneath the paws of a brotherhood of wolves.


End file.
